Lycium ruthenicum Murray and Graphene Nanoplates for Dye Sensitized Solar Cell

doi:10.15541/jim20160160

Abstract

Abstract:

The natural dye was extracted from Lycium ruthenicum Murray which was cultivated in Tibetan Plateau. The UV-Vis absorption spectra and cyclic voltammetry were used to characterize the dyes and confirm the optimal pH of the dye solutions. The influence of different contents of ethyl cellulose(EC) on the performance of electric catalytic of graphene nanoplates(GNs) counter electrode were investigated through electrochemical impedance spectra, cyclic voltammetry and Tafel polarization curve. DSCs were assembled by using the natural pigments with optimal pH as sensitizers and the GNs counter electrode with different contents of EC as counter electrode. It was found that the GNs counter electrode with 10wt% EC achieved the best performance of electric catalytic. The highest power conversion efficiency of the GNs counter electrode with 10wt% EC was 0.92%, close to that of Pt counter electrode (0.99%).

Key words: dye-sensitized solar cell, Lycium ruthenicum Murray, graphene nanoplates counter electrode, photoelectric conversion efficiency

CLC Number:

TQ174

XIE Shou-Dong, WANG Gang, CHEN Hui-Yuan, LIN Hong, YAN Zhi-Nan, ZHANG Hui. Lycium ruthenicum Murray and Graphene Nanoplates for Dye Sensitized Solar Cell[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2016, 31(10): 1117-1122.

Figures/Tables 12

Fig. 1 UV-Vis absorption spectra of lycium pigment from ruthenicum murray under different pH

Table 1 Electrochemical data of pigment from Lycium ruthenicum Murray under different pH

Dye	λ₀/nm	E_g/eV	E_ox/V	HOMO/eV	LUMO/eV
pH=1	623	1.99	1.12	-5.52	-3.53
pH=3	636	1.95	1.15	-5.55	-3.60
pH=5	614	2.02	1.03	-5.43	-3.41
pH=7	608	2.04	1.05	-5.46	-3.42

Fig. 2 Cyclic voltammogram curves of pigment from Lycium ruthenicum Murray under different pH

Fig. 3 Energy level digram of sensitized with dyes under different pH

Fig. 4 SEM images of different counter electrodes (a) GNs/EC(5wt%); (b) GNs/EC(10wt%); (c) GNs/EC(15wt%)

Fig. 5 Section SEM images of different counter electrodes (a) GNs/EC(5wt%); (b) GNs/EC(10wt%); (c) GNs/EC(15wt%)

Fig. 6 Electrochemical impedance spectra of different counter electrodes

Table 2 EIS parameters of different counter electrodes

Sample	R_s/Ω	R_ct/Ω	E_p/V
Pt	4.51	7.64	1.03
GNs/EC(5wt%)	5.53	11.27	1.08
GNs/EC(10wt%)	4.52	9.12	1.05
GNs/EC(15wt%)	4.36	12.95	1.12

Fig. 7 Cyclic voltammogram curves of different counter electrodes

Fig. 8 Tafel curves of different counter electrodes

Fig. 9 Current-potential (J-V) curve of different counter electrodes using pigment from Lycium ruthenicum Murray as sensitizer

Table 3 Parameters of DSSCs based on different counter electrodes using pigment from Lycium ruthenicum Murray as sensitizer

Dye	J_SC/(mA^.cm^-2)	V_oc/V	FF	η/%
Pt	2.74	0.532	0.68	0.99
GNs/EC(5wt%)	2.49	0.530	0.62	0.82
GNs/EC(10wt%)	2.72	0.529	0.64	0.92
GNs/EC(15wt%)	2.26	0.528	0.66	0.79

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